Ski exerciser with sensor system

• US 5,433,683 A
• Filed: 05/09/1994
• Issued: 07/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clive G. Stevens
• Original Assignee: Clive G. Stevens
• Inventors: Stevens, Clive G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crow, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US08/239,793
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 482/51, 482/52, 482/53, 482/902, 482/903, 482/54, 482/70, 482/72, 482/901
• US Class Current: 482/70
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/203 in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0417 with guided foot supports moving parallel to the body-symmetrical-plane by translation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/182 for cross-country-skiing A63B23/0417, A63B69/0022 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/902 Employing specific graphic or video display

Abstract

The belt which normally interconnects the two foot supports of a cross-country ski exercising machine passes around at least one pulley so as to rotate the pulley in an oscillating manner as the foot supports move back and forth. A slotted wheel rotates with the pulley and a photo-detecting unit is mounted on the frame for the exercise machine so as to cooperate with the slotted wheel. The photo-detecting unit includes two photo emitters and two photo receivers. Light from the photo emitters is intermittently received by the photo receivers as the openings in the slotted wheel move between the photo emitters and the photo receivers. This sensor system is capable of determining the extent of movement of the foot supports which, when connected to an information control unit, can provide precise exercise information such as the amount of distance actually covered and the number of calories consumed.

Claims

1. A ski machine with a sensor system that is adapted to monitor exercise performance and generate exercise information said ski machine including first and second foot support means;

each of said foot support means being adapted to move substantially in a single plane forwardly and rearwardly;

means interconnecting said first and second foot support means so that when one of said foot support means is moving rearwardly, the other of said foot support means is moving forwardly;

said interconnecting means including a belt and at least one pulley, said belt passing around and being in contact with said pulley so as to rotate said pulley in response to movement of said belt;

said sensor system including a slotted wheel carried by and rotatable with said pulley, said slotted wheel including a plurality of spaced apart teeth-like elements arranged around said wheel and extending parallel to each other in an axial direction and perpendicular to the plane of said wheel;

said sensor system further including a photo emitter located on one side of said elements and a photo receiver adapted to receive light from said photo emitter located on the other side of said elements whereby the transmission of light from said photo emitter to said photo receiver is interrupted by said elements when said wheel is rotated, and an instrument control unit electrically connected to said photo receiver so as to process signals from said photo receiver and generate exercise information based on said signals.